jonadkins
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Posts posted by jonadkins
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- and some friends possessed an Austin Allegro.
Our Austin Allegro, of course, became an Austin Adagio, then an Austin Lunga Pausa.
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I guess it's down to personal experimentation, but I've always found that playing in socks means I'm more likely to make mistakes, as when playing a "white" note, the ball of the foot is more likely to catch the recessed section of the neighbouring "black" note. I also miss the depth of a shoe's heel for heel playing.
I take your point about certain organists whose pedal technique renders the matter of footwear academic. I'm fully convinced that Thomas Trotter could probably play the pedals better in wellington boots than I could in organmasters.
Much more pressing than any of the above, though, is the fact that playing without shoes, in an unheated church on a winter's day is b****y chilly!
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I couldn't be there, but I was delighted that she played the Frank Martin Passacaille. I know this meant that there were two works of this genre, but it was her party!
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Movement : Meditation from 1st Symphony
Cohesive whole: Gothique or Romane.
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Here's something slightly different:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzCPfJBJbqw
Outspan-ding!and........an equally unusual technique. (Unfortunately played on an infernal electronic)
I'm sure he would make a fine juggler.
MM
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"Evensong" - Easthope Martin!
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Oh I see: this thread on "Congregational reactions" is "What have they been?" rather than "Have you had any?"
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What I'm sensing is that it is not so much the music which gets to us so much as the attitude of the people involved. This is certainly true for me. Few of us, I think, expect weddings to be musically groundbreaking, but provided things are gone about in the right way, most of us can put up with the more pedestrian/daft choices on the understanding that it's "their day".
I've found that where I play, weddings tend to fall into two categories:
i) The couple is pleasant and appreciative , (in most cases local, but not always) they've been to church, so you know who they are, they communicate with you, EVEN if it's to tell you they want "Here comes" (Wagner), "There goes" (Mendelssohn) Jesu Joy, Lord of Dance (after having pointed out the sky turning black on the Friday) and Jerusalem
ii) County do's, pushy parents of the couple whom you have never before seen, pushy women (sorry, it is usually women) doing the flowers, more often than not hideously over-the-top lily arrangments on mock stone plinths, braying yahs "Giles, you old b*****d, I haven't seen you since Gstaad" but for all that not a penny in the collection plate...
Granted, the music for a"ii" wedding might be marginally more interesting, but overall give me "i", any day of the week.
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I am sure that I've told you all before that a couple of years ago I discovered a couple of American websites that produce fantastic DVDs and videos of masterclasses in orchestral and choral conducting as well as choir training. The best of these involve the Westminster Choir College of Rider University.
Very recently I discovered the English website of the Masterclass Media Foundation when I ordered a DVD of Simon Carrington doing a choral conducting masterclass at last year's Three Choirs. From that same site I've also found masterclasses in piano, singing and orchestral conducting, although the catalogue is far broader than that. Some of the masterclasses were recorded at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland. All are of a very high standard and the DVDs arrive almost by return of post.
As a result of some courses/seminars I've been on in recent months and some related research I've been doing, I've become particularly interested in how our brains process learning and it is clear that different people learn in different ways. I have a student, not the most academically/intellectually gifted person on the planet but well worth teaching, and I'm still trying to decipher how he learns most effectively. I've spoken before about how helpful I find the Priory (and other) DVDs in watching player's techniques &c., and I personally find this a very helpful aid to learning.
What I cannot find anywhere (apart from about three uninspiring looking examples on the Organ Historical Society website) is any DVDs of organ playing masterclasses. This is a great pity. Are there any commercially available anywhere? If not, do members of this forum think they might be worthwhile if anyone could be persuaded to produce and market them?
Malcolm
The closest I've come to seeing anything like this was Gillian Weir, when she was the subject of a South Bank Show, where there was some brief footage of her giving a masterclass in the US. As I recall, she was trying to give a bit more character to the student's opening of BWV 564.
Sorry I can't be of any more help, but I think the very best masterclasses are inspiring to all musicians, whatever the instrument. I've recently been enjoying Daniel Barenboim's Beethoven Sonata masterclasses, to the likes of Jonathan Biss and Lang Lang. One of the points he makes is that it is important for pianists to know more than just piano works, conductors to know more than just orchestral repertoire, and so on. I'm sure it's the same for organists!
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I have sent Pierre a message of good wishes today, on the French board. As far as I can see, he posted on at least one thread there yesterday. I also said that we hoped to see him back here soon. I trust that other contributors do not object to my assumption* of an inclusive wish, here.
I, too, miss his contributions. I hope he comes back.
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I once saw, in some songbook or other, a ditty with one verse which ran:
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.
Other verses were similarly creative. At the footer, was the legend 'Words copyright....'
It's easy to mock, but this is right up there with the finest of the First world war poets, namely Pte. Baldrick. Indeed, this hymn could even BE from his oeuvre. Whilst it breaks new ground in terms of metre, in other respects the stark, minimalist hallmarks are there: consider the classic "Wartime guns":
Boom, boom, boom, boom,
Boom, boom, boom!
Boom, boom, boom, boom...
...how his superior, Capt. Blackadder, was able to predict how the second stanza concluded is anybody's guess.
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How about a thread for those buildings which are not cathedrals but Abbeys, Priories and Minsters, as well as major parish churches?
My votes would go to:
Bridlington Priory
Hexham & Bath Abbeys
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If, on the otehr hand, one were to mention the organ of York Minster, it could only be in the context of constant evolution. In my own lifetime it has changed three times, (I think), and even if it is a bit of a mix-and-match instrument, it remains one of my personal favourites because it has real colour and character. That is, without doubt, a subjective response, but one that is shared by many who have played the instrument and accompanied choirs on it. The more objective approach might result in this splendid organ being dismissed as a hotch-potch of periods and styles.....we have to strike a balance.
MM
Overall, I think York is a bit of a mish-mash, albeit a very high quality mish-mash. Nevertheless, on the DVD from there, JSW demonstrates the organ, going through all the stages of its evolution, and the Hill pipework is absolutely glorious.
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God is good to me
God is good to me
He gave me lips
To eat my chips
God is good to me
Thankyou very much, goodnight.
(By the way, this really IS a hymn. No, really, it is)
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The 32' Napoleon on the Aubertin at S. Louis in Vichy has the desired 'all conquering' effect from its position outside the case along the gallery wall.
A
Wouldn't a 4' stop be more appropriate for Bonaparte?
I'd heard that the 32' Ceaucescu on another european organ developed a cipher, the only way to overcome it was to stage an uprising in Bucharest...
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This series of DVDs is a triumph, and the latest offering from Canterbury is certainly no exception. The playing is absolutely first class, and he speaks engagingly and naturally afterwards about the instrument, his enthusiasm for it undimmed by marginal limitations.
As for the programme, whilst it may appear not to work "on paper" (3 passacaglias? (passacagliae??)), in performance the pieces were so varied that it actually came off well.
I particularly liked his own transcription of the Debussy "Footprints in the snow" piece: at times it reminded me of Vierne, but at others it made me think of Arvo Part...
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I attended a recital given by Simon Preston on the Frobenius at Kingston upon Thames. This was the first time I had actually heard SP in the flesh, and wheras I was expecting, and got, wonderful playing, what I was expecting less was a somewhat gallows humour. He played, as one might expect this year, Liszt's Ad nos and some Messiaen. He prefaced this by saying:
" I suppose, in a way I should apologise for playing these two composers, as they divide people so much. One either loves it or hates it. The only thing I can say is that the Liszt lasts for half an hour, so those that began by loving it might hate it by the end!
Needless to say, given his performance I doubted there would be any who "hated it by the end" but it did make me think of this issue of addressing the audience.
Have you heard any classic examples, that were witty, interesting, and enhanced the recital?
Any disasters?
If you regularly give recitals, do you say anything?
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I think the previous posters have steered you in the right direction here, but generally I always find Blackwells in Oxford very helpful and knowledgeable (in particular Peter!)
Can I also say how much I miss Allegro (ex of Birmingham)
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I just wanted to "bump" this thread back up to the top and ask the original poster how his improvisation is going.
I remember I started a similar topic a while ago, wanting to know if there were any "secrets" to improvising, but I suppose in my heart of hearts I knew:
1 - have rules and/or a theme in mind
2 - don't waffle/prevaricate
3 - completely expunge Howells and Messiaen from my mind, because I am not as clever as Howells or Messiaen
4 - don't go on too long or loud
5 - but then, don't be to timid, for this might just lead to 2 above
6 - Don't beat yourself up for not being as good as the very greatest.
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I have just bought a wonderful new(ish) recording of the works of Mulet, which I would unhesitatingly commend to fellow board members. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you who the organist is; suffice it to say it is a Priory disc...
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Who else remembers the RFH concert on or near her 60th birthday? There were as many people there as I have ever seen at an organ recital. She gave searing performances of, amongst others, the Reubke sonata and the Healey Willan passacaglia; a wonderful evening.
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Dear all,
Many thanks for the last set of suggestions. Now a new one for you. I've been asked to suggest an easy and fun-to-sing Latin christmas carol. Any suggestions? It would have to be suitable for a whole class - I found that il est ne was a fantastic solution, with the drone 'il est ne, il est ne' for, well, the droners. All suggestions very much appreciated.
C-d-C
Gaudete?
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St. Sulpice next?
There is one available actually: http://www.ohscatalog.org/danrotschwei.html I'm not very au-fait with posting links - I hope you can get this to work somehow.
Anyway, whilst not as sophisticated in production terms as the Priory DVD's, the quality is perfectly good, and features Roth speaking with great charm about the history of St Sulpice and the organs, before playing two pieces on the Orgue de choeur (itself a masterpiece): Widor's version of the last movement of the St. Matthew passion from "Bach's memento, followed by Widor's Meditation (Symphonie I). He then goes up to the Grand orgue to play an improvisation on Herzlich tut mich Verlangen and Victimae Paschali, O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig from Bach's 18, the first movement of Widor 6, Franck's Priere and a Saint-Saens scherzo.
Highly recommended.
Youtube Archive of Recorded Organ Music
in General discussion
Posted
Archive of Recorded Organ Music
Plenty of treasures to be found here. Have just been enjoying Nicholas Danby from Lubeck/Eton and Nicolas Kynaston's peerless Dupre Deuxieme Symphonie from Westminster Cathedral.